Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, October 15, 1995 TAG: 9510160056
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JOEL TURNER STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
If you are looking for disagreement among school board candidates in Western Virginia, ask them about a longer school day and school year.
You'll find sharply conflicting opinions on a subject that divides many parents, too.
Some educators advocate a longer school day to provide more time for core subjects such as math, science and English. They also believe students do better with a longer school year or a revised calendar with a shorter summer break.
American children spend less time in school than most of their European counterparts. And it shows, some school board candidates say.
"The performance level of our students reflects these shorter hours and shortened school year," said Vern Jordahl, a candidate in Roanoke County.
"Overstretched teachers are pressed for time to teach the subjects they must test," Jordahl said. "The result is that students are often tested on material that they have never really learned."
Russell "Butch" Wright, a Bedford County candidate, said U.S. students spend less time in school - 180 days - than students in any other country.
In Japan, students attend school 218 days a year. In Russia and West Germany, the school year is 210 days; in the Netherlands and Thailand, 200; in England, 192; and in France, 185.
The school day also is longer in most of these countries than in the United States.
"I think year-round schools are something we will have to address in the next few years," Wright said.
Buena Vista is the only school division in Virginia with a year-round school program, but a growing number of school districts in other states are extending their school year.
Buena Vista has a quarter system. Its students attend 218 days a year if they attend the optional summer quarter.
Roanoke County is considering an extended school calendar so that students would have several shorter breaks during the year instead of a long summer vacation. But the students still would go to school only 180 days.
Perry Hambrick, a Franklin County candidate, said there also is an economic reason for a longer school year.
"You, the taxpayer, have millions of dollars' worth of buildings and grounds that are sitting idle for weeks during the summer ... " he said. "Any type of business that does this would be out of work before too long."
James Klagge, a Montgomery County candidate, said he believes that it is worth investigating the value of having more school time.
"For example, when I was growing up, we didn't need to learn about computers. Now, students do," Klagge said. "Yet if we provide no additional time for that, then something has to go."
But many candidates who responded to a survey by The Roanoke Times disagree.
Sybil Atkinson, a candidate in Pulaski County, said her county already is stretching the school day and it would be a problem to extend the day much longer because of bus mileage.
"We need to continue to concentrate on the quality, not quantity. A longer school year would require total community involvement - and air-conditioned schools," Atkinson said.
Van Flora, a candidate in Franklin County, said a longer school day is not desirable, because Franklin is a rural county with long bus routes.
"Some kids are away from home nine to 10 hours a day. I feel this is long enough," Flora said.
David Sulzen, a Floyd County candidate, said he could not support a longer school day, because he believes schools already are pushing or even exceeding the limits of students' attention spans.
He also opposes a longer school year, because he believes summer is important family time for students and rejuvenation time for teachers.
Peggy Arrington, a Montgomery County candidate, said she believes schools need to spend the instructional time more wisely instead of lengthening the school day and year.
Schools are hampered by the state requirement that students spend a fixed number of hours in class to receive credit for a course, she said.
In Montgomery County, where Virginia Tech is the major industry and has a semester system, Arrington doesn't believe the community wants year-round schools.
Robert Knepp, a Craig County candidate, said schools should make better use of study halls and keep students in class instead of switching to a longer school day or year.
"More effort should be focused on keeping high school students in school in the afternoons," Knepp said. "When we do better with the time already available, then it will be prudent to consider other options."
Next Sunday: Prayer in the schools and prayer at graduation.
Keywords:
POLITICS
by CNB